Bahia Honda State Park

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 (day 201)


Some fellow breakfast eaters



We left the Miami-Everglades area this morning, heading south on highway 1. We ended up in the “lower keys” as they say, at Bahia-Honda state park. The highway through the keys is interesting. It feels like one straight line south, although it isn’t really. It goes over bridges and causeways. It runs like a thin little ribbon with water on both sides. It goes through small towns full of shops selling boat tours, dive tours, adventure tours, etc. For most of the day, the sky was blue, the sun was hot, and the water was a beautiful shade of green.

One of two nurseries that surrounded the Miami Everglades RV park



Our geo caching mojo is back! We found every one we stopped at today, (13), only skipping ones that were on the opposite side of the highway, figuring we’d get those on our way back north. One thing we’ve always loved about geocaching is the interesting places it takes you.

What the "Aarrgh" geocache led us to



We stopped at one (Birds of a Feather) that was at a bird sanctuary. It was a funky little place, with a boardwalk path that led you past many cages of birds. It seemed sad to see birds in cages, but the signs explained these were rescued birds. Some had been abandoned as pets (the parrots), some had been injured and could not be released again into the wild. There were places where the birds were not in cages, and it was so interesting just to sit quietly and watch the pelicans, the egrets and the herons. While Judy was making lunch here, Harris went off to find the cache and ran into a caching family from Switzerland that had spent the morning swimming with the dolphins. We shared some caching stories and then they were off on their way while we had lunch.

What "Birds of a Feather" cache led us to





The loud-mouthed parrot Fred





A Great White Heron





Ivis (???)





A pair of Barred owls



At another stop we saw what we were later told was an iguana; it was easily 3 feet long from head to tail and it could scamper fast! It reminded us of Jurassic Park and we were glad it moved AWAY from us. One cache took us next to a park that had a drop-dead water view and one of our first caches today took us to a pirate ship that takes folks on a sunset cruise. It looked ready to be in the movies.

The 3' Iguana we saw



When we finally arrived at our park at around 4:30, we had an afternoon libation and snack, played a quick game of Quarters (Harris won), and found 2 more caches that were inside the park. It started to rain a little, so we hustled back to Howie to make our dinner. Later we went for a short walk in the dark just to see the stars and the crescent moon shining on the water. It’s a beautiful night with the temperature in the upper 70’s (at 10 PM). Once again, we are glad to be plugged in so we can use the AC.

Our campsite at Bahia Hondo that we lucked into



Total miles driven today=105

Puttin' on the Ritz

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 (day 200) (WOW)


Checking out the art deco buildings



Today we went to see how the other half lives. Or, if you believe the statistics that are out these days, we went to see how some of the richest 1% of the country live. And there are a bunch of them in Miami!

in the Miami South Beach area



We asked for some places to see and go at the front desk of the RV park. We were given a map and some directions to avoid the freeway and take a smaller road into the city. What a road! Most of it was tree lined, with interesting trees that sometimes met in a tunnel over us. The road followed the coast line into town. First we passed gated communities with many beautiful houses. Then we started passing mansions behind hedges and gates.

Complete with cigarette gals



Then we reached an area in downtown Miami. There were tall skyscrapers, huge hotels, business people, and yachts on the waterfront. We took a causeway over to the South Beach area. We read about an Art Deco area full of architectural wonders. We parked Howie on a sidestreet, and followed a walking tour brochure we had downloaded. This area was famous in the 1930’s, and had been restored mostly in the 1970’s. The buildings, mostly hotels, were all different, but distinctive and fun to see. We walked along the beach side of the sidewalk so we could see more of the buildings. We walked and walked in the hot sun, but there was a huge, dark cloud that was building in the north. The temperature, which had been in the high 80’s, suddenly dropped and the wind picked up.

Ominous black sky!
(waiters were shooing customers inside)



We started to turn around, and then the lightning started and the thunder cracked right over our heads. We stopped on a veranda of a hotel that was undergoing some restoration, but it was deep and sheltered. The heavens opened up, the rain started pounding down, and people were running for shelter.

And the rain CAME!



We watched the storm for about an hour, when the owner of the hotel came out and told us we’d have to leave this verandah, but we were welcome to come through the construction area with him to the lobby on the other side. We said thank you very much and followed him. He had 2 valets come to meet us with umbrellas and walk us across one unprotected area. We sat on another verandah and watched for another while. The thunder and lightning seemed to be gone, and the rain was letting up, so we decided to get back to Howie.

And then it stopped...



After a couple of blocks, the rain came back and soaked us good. But, at least it was warm! The air was cool, which felt good after the heat of the day. We had walked farther than we thought, and it was a bit of a walk back. But we made it. Alas, before we had left Howie, we had opened vents….you guessed it, there was a bit of water in the bathroom. But Howie sure felt good to us at this point!

What every house needs parked out in front...



Driving back across the causeway from South Beach to downtown Miami, we passed some off ramps that led to “islands”. These were full of huge mansions with yachts anchored in front….wonder who lived there? Nobody we know!

By the time we got back to our park, the storm was over. It had lasted about two and a half hours. We had a quick dinner and a dip in the pool and hot tub.


Driving the back streets back to our RV park



Total miles driven today=85

Boating in the Everglades

Monday, April 4, 2011 (day 199)


The boat we took on the 10,000 island tour



So, yesterday was lazy, and today was action packed. We left as soon as we could this morning and headed for the Everglades. We entered the park on the northwest corner, by Everglade City. Once there, we stopped at the National Park office, where boat tours are sold. We arrived there 15 minutes before the Ten Thousand Island tour was leaving, and were advised that if we wanted the next Mangrove Wilderness tour we should buy it before we left on the Ten Thousand Island tour. Unable to decide which tour would be better, we decided to buy both. We grabbed some sunscreen and water and jumped on the boat for the Ten Thousand Island tour.

Osprey nest with dad in the background "supervising"



This tour was on a medium sized boat, and had about 25 people aboard. There was a cover which provided some much appreciated shade. We headed out into the Gulf of Mexico, through the ten thousand islands. Our guide told us there was actually more like 14 thousand islands, which changes with high tides. Some little islands get covered up, only to reappear at lower tides. These islands are actually groves of mangrove trees, with very little to no actual land. The mangrove trees are the only trees that will grow in salt water….actually this water is a mix of salt and fresh water, an estuary. The water is very brakish brown, which comes from the leaves of the mangrove trees. These trees have leaves all year round, and shed their leaves all year round. The leaves have a lot of tannic acid in them, which turns the water around them brown. The roots are all intertwined, and mostly above the water, at least at low tide.

The 6 passenger boat we took on the Mangrove Wilderness Tour



We saw a few dolphins on the trip, and several birds. (the double crested cormorant, the royal tern, osprey, the swallow tailed kite). We meandered in and out of the islands for about an hour, then returned to the docks.

Tight quarters in the small channels



Once there, we had about 5 minutes before the Mangrove wilderness tour was scheduled to leave, so we refilled our water bottle and jumped into a small 6 person boat. (Alas, no cover, and at first it was very hot in the sun.)This boat went closer to the mangrove islands, and the guide repeated much of the same information we heard on the first boat tour. The best part was when we turned up a small creek. Here, the trees grew over us, tunnel like, and provided some welcome shade. We motored up as far as we could, before the guide told us we’d need a canoe or kayak to go further.

Another osprey



When we returned from this boat trip, we were melting in the heat and humidity. But we had to make one more stop. A few miles up the road there was a picnic area we were told that always had alligators. Sure enough, when we went along the boardwalk and looked down into the stream, there were alligators! They looked like they were just laying in the water, looking like logs, until a fish happened to swim by a little too closely. Then, snap! The alligator could move very quickly when food was involved.

The smallest official US post office



By now, we were really melting, so we just drove through the north end of the park without any more stops. We passed many air boat tour places, which would have taken us through the “river of grass”. By this time the landscape had changed to swampy grass for miles and miles and miles. There were areas of trees, and then there were areas which had been drained in years past and turned into farms.

Turtle not too far from the alligators



We came to our resting place for tonight, an RV park called Miami Everglades Resort, which is about 15 miles from Miami itself. Yea! For plug-ins! Yea! For air-conditioning! Yea! For pools! Since we’re in Miami, we can and are watching the basketball championship game (it’s half time now).

Alligator "eying" a small fish




Total miles driven today=133

A tribute to baseball bud Rick

Sunday, April 3, 2011 (day 198)

Another lazy day. We stayed up late last night, making plans and reservations for campgrounds in the Keys, and listening to the Mariners win. We started off taking a short walk around the park and then went down the road and toward some stores, so we were gone a bit longer than we had planned for. (ie, no sunscreen, not a good idea!)

Two ducks guarding a cache in Ft. Meyer



After breakfast, we decided to do a little geocaching around this area. Hmmmm. We’re really wondering if we’re losing our geo-sense, or mojo, or something. We did find 3, but were stumped on others. One was frustrating. We walked over a mile down a bike path, in the hot, hot sun with no shade, only to be skunked at the end. We gave up and came back to the park for a swim and late lunch.

This cache had free citrus payoffs!



One of our caches today took us by a roadside sign that caught our attention. It said “10,000 lakes meet the Sunshine state” and had the Twins’ logo. Harris immediately pulled over and had to investigate for the sake of his baseball bud Rick. He was able to walk onto the playing field (gate was open and no one in sight) to take a few shots to post for Rick. He reverently walked around the infield and thought that perhaps someday Rick and Candy would visit and think about the time Harris had come to visit.

Rick, these are for you!





The front entrance





Luckily, the gate was open!








Tomorrow we’re heading for the Everglades!

This just in... The Twins just won their first game of the season (and the Mariners lost their first one).


This bench was thoughtfully provided to log our cache



Total miles driven today= less than 30

Laundry Day in Fort Meyers

Saturday, April 2, 2011 (day 197)

Good thing we have this blog going…we have to look back to see where we were just yesterday. Either our memories are failing, or all this traveling is beginning to blur together.

Wish we had a canoe...



This morning we took a walk through the Koreshan State Historic Site, which is just down the road from the campsite. We were surprised by its size, and decided to go back later with our camera. We also walked down to the river and saw the area where people were launching canoes, kayaks, and other small boats. By happenstance we also saw people preparing for a 112th reunion of the Koreshan descendants.

One of the Koreshan homes circa 1920



When we returned to the historic site, we were lucky enough to tag along with a ranger giving a tour to a local reporter. We also watched a video about the history of the Koreshan movement. Cyrus Teed apparently saw himself as the “7th” messiah, and his followers were greatly surprised when he died and did not come back. The community had about 200 people at its height in the early 1900’s, mostly women. After seeing the video, we could see why. Cyrus Teed was the leader, but he had a “co-leader”, a woman. Also, 7 women served on a supreme council, basically ruling below the two leaders. We saw a display outside one building, talking about how the men did the laundry for the entire colony every day. Sounds like a pretty good deal for the women! We also got to see a demonstration of a diesel engine that generated electrical power for the colony.

Why Judy would've considered joining...



Harris took a picture of one display that explains some of the basic beliefs of Teed….how the universe is inside the earth, etc. Pretty crazy stuff. He must have been very charismatic to get others to believe this stuff.

Volunteers demoing the diesel electric generator



The campground was full for tonight, so we moved 15 miles up the road to a private RV park. We had another R and R day, doing laundry and spending time by the pool. (and in the pool..the water was a warm 90 degrees, but the pool was only big enough to bob around in). We decided to go into Fort Meyers Beach for dinner. Fort Meyers Beach is a huge tourist area, full of people, shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. We walked out on the pier for a quick look, then went to an Italian restaurant for dinner. The food was good, but the “entertainment” was not. Some guy was singing along to karoke, very loudly, and as a consequence everyone was speaking very loudly as well. We came back in time to listen to the Mariner/Athletic game on XM radio. Harris is happy!

Can you find Howie?



Edit /update at 7mins after midnight… Mariners win 5-2 by getting 3 runs in the top of the 9th! This never would have happened last year. Ichiro stole 2 bases tonight and this also would not have happened last year.

Why we tend to avoid tourist attractions



Total miles driven today= less than 40

Heading to Koreshan State Park

Friday, April 01, 2011 (day 196)


Manatee Springs



We took a walk around the campground this morning, visiting the head of Manatee Springs, the pool it collects in, and the river it flows into. There was a nice long boardwalk over swampy land to the river. When we reached the end of it, we noticed several people snorkeling in the water in spite of signs that warned against it. We asked another couple watching them and found out they were volunteers who gather turtles for tagging. There were a couple of people in a canoe who followed the snorkelers around, collecting the turtles. We also noticed strange looking stumps surrounding trees. We asked another walker if she knew what they were. She told us that they were part of the trees’ root system called lenticels . They actually emit oxygen for the trees, since the ground was so swampy. It reminded us of the roots of banyan trees in Hawaii a bit, although these don’t grow into new trees.

Looking toward the source of the springs




Counting and tagging turtles




Nice planked walkways





Whatcha doing down there?




Cypress Knees either help stabilize the tree or help release oxygen



Then we drove most of the day, stopping briefly for lunch and to buy some chicken for dinner. When we stopped for lunch, we noticed a man on the side of the road selling citrus fruit from his truck, so we bought some tangerines (huge) and some grapefruit (sweet!). Then we went on until we reached our destination of Koreshan State Historic Site. We haven’t explored this area yet, but the brochure says:
“Throughout its history, Florida has welcomed pioneers of all kinds. Cyrus Reed Teed was probably the most unusual, bringing followers to Estero in 1894 to build “New Jerusalem” for his new faith “Koreshanity”. The colony, known as the Koreshan Unity, believed that the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere. The colony began fading after Teed’s death in 1908. Today visitors can fish, picnic, boat and hike where Teed’s visionaries once carried out survey experiments to “prove” the horizon on the beaches curves upward.

Can’t wait to visit the museum and see how they tried to prove that!

Buying some fresh fruit




Our campsite (#55) at Koreshan State Park



Total miles driven today=290

Heading to Manatee State Park

Thursday, March 31, 2011 (day 195)


Ahhhh, last night was so dark and quiet we slept quite well. We woke up with the sun and took a long walk through the campground and back toward the town of Grayton Beach. It is a cute town full of shops and tons of rental beach houses. After a nice breakfast we started driving. We knew we had a ways to go today, so we wanted to get an early start.

A birdhouse subdivision we saw on our morning walk



Our little navigator, tom-tom, took us back to I-10, past the capital city of Tallahassee. We debated about stopping to see another capitol building, but decided to keep driving. It rained off and on during the day, but by the end of the day the sun came out again.

After Tallahassee, we drove south on highway19, which heads away from the coast and into the interior of Florida a bit more. The landscape turned into farmlands and wetlands. Lots of cows, some horses. The highway itself was often lined with green trees, and when we turned off it into Chiefland, there were streets where the trees came together over us, making tunnels.

We stopped at a store for a few supplies and some gas, and then the fun began. If we had retraced our steps back to the turnoff before the store, we would have found the park about an hour sooner. It’s really just a straight shot from the town. But no, we followed our little tom-tom once more, turning the other way out of town. Mistake. Big mistake. We drove around a huge basin called Manatee Basin, which is really a huge wetland area. We seemed to be getting further and further away from the park. Finally tom-tom told us to turn down a very sketchy looking dirt road. No, we told it, we’re not going there! It refused to find any other route to the park. So, we back tracked a bunch, found a friendly soul at a fire station and asked directions. Back we went, practically all the way to town before we picked up state road 320, which ends at the park’s entrance. Gotta love these navigators, or else you’d pitch them out the window into a swamp.

One of the many scenic Florida state highways we've used



Manatee Springs State Park has a spring that produces an average of 100 million gallons of clear, cool water daily. Apparently in winter, West Indian manatees swim upriver to the warmer waters of the springs. The brochure says the headwaters of the spring is a great place to swim. We were told by the park rangers the water is about 72 degrees, a little cool for our tastes, since today hasn’t been super hot. (Finally reached a high of 75 this afternoon.) When we got to our spot, another couple wandered by and started talking to us. They mentioned snakes in the water. That’s all Judy had to hear to decide swimming was out! As we stood talking about places in Florida to visit, the bugs really came out. It was that time of evening…around 6 or so. We retreated into our beloved Howie for dinner, where, armed with our flyswatter, we have a fighting chance against the critters. We watched Conviction (good movie) and later the fireflies.

Deer eating dinner at the same time we were



Total miles today=330 (could have been under 300)